When Olivier Besson, founder and CEO of Asia Yachting, decided to commission an MCY 86 as a stock boat, it provided him with a deeper insight into the level of personal involvement a client enjoys with Monte Carlo Yachts, the high-end, detail-oriented shipyard based in Monfalcone, Italy.
The Hong Kong-based special edition MCY 86 by Monte Carlo Yachts
A luxury motor yacht broker for 13 years, the Hong Kong-based Besson sought to fashion a craft that would offer would-be local or regional owners practical space for both potential personal family use and formal entertaining.
SPACIOUS SALOON
“The difference between this boat and its competition is the way it has been designed,” says Besson, as we walk towards a backlit wall-panel of pale ochre alabaster marble at the far end of the airy saloon, which has generous headroom.
“The very high bow opens up to give a lot of width through the whole yacht, so it offers ‘a lot of boat’, a lot more usable area. This is something clients notice about an MCY when they come aboard. Most of our clients aren’t newcomers – they own or have owned several boats – and feel this extra space.”
The enormous saloon has been customised by Asia Yachting
Asia Yachting is Monte Carlo Yachts’ exclusive dealer for Hong Kong, Macau and much of Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand). Besson wanted as spacious and adaptable a saloon as possible for what he believes appeals to Asian owners.
“I was very aware we needed to have at least twice the air-conditioning power than is often possible in a similar boat, which may specify that it’s using ‘tropical’ strength,” he explains.
“We did this because we know in Hong Kong the weather is extremely humid and people enjoy being indoors in a really comfortable environment. We also know they go in and out [of enclosed areas] all the time, so we really want to make sure we offer a comfortable temperature all the time.”
MATERIALS MAKETH THE YACHT
Monte Carlo Yachts is known for its high-quality fittings and coverings. In the case of this MCY 86, Besson discussed possibilities suggested by Dan Lenard, co-founder of Venice-based Nuvolari-Lenard, which has designed all of the company’s yachts, currently comprising seven models from 66-105ft plus Skylounge options for the 70 and 76.
Dan Lenard of Nuvolari-Lenard handled the bespoke design
Hermès and Armani Casa fabrics bring luxury to the touch and to the eye, from the table, bench seating and chairs of the cockpit, through to the free-standing saloon furniture and the four lower-deck guest cabins.
“In terms of style, I wanted something that feels like luxury but I also wanted richness, freshness and a sense of modernity,” Besson says. “They came up with the idea of using backlit alabaster – a material somewhere between marble and precious stone.”
It also appears as a countertop, lit from within, that adorns a cabinet running along the port side of the saloon.
Pale ochre alabaster marble has been used on the port-side countertop, as well as the bulkhead forward of the dining table
“Other saloon designs we have done on MCYs have been totally different. One client on an 80 wanted an open galley up, instead of below deck, as they really like cooking and interacting with guests.”
There’s a sliding glass door on each side of the dining area, while a bulwark balcony can also drop down to open up a sea vista from the indoor table.
“We worked hard on this. When you’re on a boat, you want to be close to the sea,” Besson says. “Too often, when the size of a boat increases, you can lose this link.”
The dining area benefits from sliding doors and a drop-down balcony
SELF-CONTAINED FUNCTIONALITY
Forward of the dining area, to port, are double doors to provide privacy for guests from the crew area, which includes a lobby beside the starboard helm station, aft of which are stairs to the flybridge. The lobby also has steps down to the lower deck, where the galley and crew mess are to port, with the Captain’s cabin and a twin in the bow.
The helm station, which incorporates centralised Böning electronic controls for the whole yacht and Raymarine navigation, merits its roominess as the yacht’s range is 1,200nm, potentially enabling regional cruising.
With this in mind, Besson installed the slightly larger propulsion option of twin MAN V12 1,900rpm engines and opted for a second generator. The shipyard selected both the engine and generator for their comparatively eco-friendly impact.
The covered aft cockpit (above) and multi-functional foredeck (below) are among the popular outdoor areas on the 86ft yacht, which is in Hong Kong and available
Asia Yachting helps clients arrange regional tours with appealing cruising itineraries that can include staff crew taking a yacht to Thailand, Malaysia or the Philippines, to await time-pressed owners who fly in. Owners can also take delivery in Europe and cruise in the Mediterranean before their yacht is shipped to Asia.
ALFRESCO ENHANCEMENTS
The swim platform can lift up to 1.2 tonnes, handy if a large tender is selected or perhaps for weighty toys kept in the garage. It also fits a tall, attractive chrome shower that can be erected on demand, while a water-resistant day head is a few steps away, next to the cockpit.
At the bow, a Portuguese deck layout features a seating area and expandable dining table that sits up to 12 in comfort, offering great waterside visibility.
The bar (above) is the focal point of the flybridge; its counter and stool seats are crafted from carbon Kevlar to match the deck’s T-top (below)
For the flybridge, “the idea was to try to create a different living and entertaining area,” says Besson, who installed a pop-up TV in the lounging area behind the twin-seat helm.
The focal point, though, is the bar station with its panel of backlit alabaster that conceals a large grill. Its counter and stool seats are crafted from carbon Kevlar to match the deck’s T-top, which can open up to the sun or stars.
SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS
On the lower-deck, the four ensuite guest cabins include an impressive full-beam master suite midships and a forward twin cabin. Suitable for owners and their children, both rooms share a staircase that starts starboard of the dining area.
Accessed by a forward staircase, the full-beam master suite benefits from Monte Carlo Yachts’ iconic overlapping-circle windows
In the spacious master, Italian-designed silk and leather is used for the wallcoverings and decorative cabinet and door surfaces, while the owners also benefit from an ample walk-in closet, as well as a beautiful marble-walled ensuite bathroom with twin basins and twin rainforest showers.
There’s a VIP double and another twin aft, accessed by a separate staircase before the saloon sofa.
Not only do all internal doors carry the satisfying weight of quality but, when closed, they provide effective soundproofing that’s enhanced by a layer of rubber that seals each modular-construction cabin, also reducing vibration.
Hermès and Armani Casa fabrics provide a luxurious look and feel; the master cabin ensuite bathroom (below)
A previous MCY 105 commission for Asia Yachting was for a Hong Kong client that comprised two brothers, who both had young children. They requested shared, easy-access three-tier bunk-bed cabins for the kids as well as two master cabins of equal size for the parents. “Each master was absolutely tailored to each brother’s preferences,” Besson says.
All in all, this MCY 86 – currently on the market – offers both a very high level of finish and, in this configuration, an abundance of different areas around the yacht where people can easily find their comfort zone.
- The original article appears in Yacht Style Issue 53 (click image below)
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